Failed to create a bootup partition in a removal harddisk

Seems like I CANNOT create a bootable partition out a removable harddisk. I have 4 partiitioins in the harddisk and tried to use one as boot partition. Based on my testing this simply cannot be done as the XP Installation and Windows Server 2003 installation program saw the partition but refused to install the OS in it. The Windows 2000 cannot even see the partition.

So it seems like only the USB Flash drive can be a bootup.